“The railroads will continue to purchase diesel electric locomotives as long as there is economic justification for doing so, or until some improved form of motive power comes to the fore. Although itwill be many years before the last steam locomotive is taken out of service, we are now witnessing the end of a century during which steam reigned supreme, and the beginning of a new era in railroad progress.”

The first link opened. Man is this difficult for me. I wish Communism and Diesels never happened because we are not fooled. Wishful thinking. Ever argue with a College student about Communism vs Free Markets and free society's .. Arguing for steam is the same... it's what people want in life, naturally. The invaders take over..

With the POTUS having shut down much of the government during this holiday season with many employees not going to receive their cheque to pay for food, water, the roof over their head, wheels, heels (clothes and shoes), bills, etc., just where do we stand today as a nation when compared to Communism, Socialism, Free Market Society, or perhaps, even a Dictatorship, afterall?

Check out the Wikipedia artical and be sure to read JFK's remark after he had read the novel shortly after it's publication!

Item: Even the USSR, and not that long ago, China, retired steam in favor of Mr. D's Machine as well as Tom Swift and his Electric Locomotive!

Diesels reduced the railroads needs for manpower. Communisim takes people an put them in 'make work' jobs - just to say they are employed.

In fact, steam and communism were more closely connected, in China and in East Germany for example. In the UK, steam continued to be built under a Socialist Government initially although continued by a Conservative Government.

The nominally private British railways were buying diesels up to 1948, but on Nationalisation, only steam was built, except for shunting locomotives.

Railroads could not have survived the 1960s except for diesels. The higher manpower costs alone would have seen most freight go to road, although coal might have continued on rail.

Extra 9401 West. Early photo. Original Single Horns, Flag Brackets below side windows

Problem with flag location here is that if one ' Blew Off ' by wind, the opposite flag could not be seen which could be misconstrued as ' Signals Nil ' by Rules. Could interfere with Hooping Up of Orders.

Extra 9000 East, same location, just to East. Flag Brackets on Roof Corners.

In the UK, steam continued to be built under a Socialist Government initially although continued by a Conservative Government. The nominally private British railways were buying diesels up to 1948, but on Nationalisation, only steam was built, except for shunting locomotives.

I suspect that may have been due to sourcing of fuel. Coal mining was a huge industry in Britain but diesels required oil, which in that era I believe had to be imported, needing foreign exchange. In the aftermath of WW2 that was not so readily available. A military victory, thanks to several allies, but a financial disaster.

When my grandparents came to Canada to visit us in 1961 (possibly an earlier visit) they were strictly limited in how much sterling they were allowed to bring from England. A little moonlighting by my grandmother as organist in our parish church provided some very welcome additional cash.

Now I want a Admiral's hat and epaulettes, that "Runaway" is hilarious!

I just hope those FM/CLC units are not being deliberately hidden, in which case I may have upset someone's plan by publicly revealing their location in a way that future Google searches will easily find.